Amelia Earhart
In many respects, Amelia Earhart is the very embodiment of a modern, 20th century woman.
Planes
APEX Hot Air Balloon
Hot Air Ballooning as a hobby is one of those activities I’ve never really considered. It seems like a lot of fun and I’m assuming that champagne is drunk each time you’re aloft, there doesn’t seem to be much else to do once airborne except pull the “make fire” toggle.
De Havilland dh.89 Dragon Rapide
The De Havilland dh.89 Dragon Rapide Biplane is one of the most captivating of the pre-war commercial airliners, the aircraft is widely considered to be the best commercial aircraft..
The Waco YMF-5D Biplane
Waco Aircraft are one of those companies that just keeps on, keeping on. Originally founded in 1919 the company built some of the most infamous biplanes the world has ever seen before going into receivership in 1947 due to war time orders drying up. In 1983 the company was resurrected and the new team set…
Speedbird
The site LeContainer is possibly the best source of stunning mechanised imagery that you’ll find anywhere. This photograph is a great example of their regular faire…
Mary ‘Hurricane’ Guthrie
Mary Guthrie flew Hurricanes on transport missions during the second world war, although she never saw combat she was widely considered to be a highly capable pilot by all her knew her.
Bomber Boys
WWII documentaries always fascinate me, this film by Ewan MacGregor is a brilliant insight into lives of the Lancaster crews of the war. There is some special significance here for me because my Great Uncle Alf was a bombardier or bomb aimer on the Lancaster during the war, he was one of the lucky ones who survived.
F4U Corsair Barcalounger
The Vought F4U Corsair was an astonishing airplane, I never knew it was this versatile though.
Amelia
This is the greatest picture of Earhart I’ve ever seen, it’s a snapshot of what was and what almost came to pass.
Gee Bee Model R
The Gee Bee Model R is easily one of the most unusual airplanes ever to fly, the stumpy fuselage, tiny wings and huge diameter of the cowling were eye-catching to say the least. The Model R was built by the Granville Brothers Aircraft of Springfield, Massachusetts as an air racer, the unusual design was the result of 3 days testing at…
Operation Question Mark
In 1929 some of the first attempts at refuelling planes in flight were being undertaken. This famous photograph of Operation Question Mark shows a 10,000lb Fokker C-2A being refueled in flight by a modified Douglas C-1 transport aircraft.
F86D Dog Sabre R/C
Building huge remotely controlled planes in your garage is perhaps the poster child of ridiculous hobbies, but as with most insane pastimes, it’s very popular and incredibly fun.